#redblazer – it's gonna be a thing

August 20, 2014

Wild Dancing Bears

My dad knows a lot of hockey people where we live; actually, he knows pretty much everyone. That’s what happens when you’ve played on nearly every hockey team within a 50 mile radius. One of our really good hockey friends started a hockey camp 10+ years ago for the kids in the area, and brought my dad in as his fellow coach.

The camp is called the Dancin’ Bear Hockey Camp, and I’ve been a part of it for the past 10 years, first as a camper, then a counselor, and now a coach

I remember my very first DB camp, in the summer of 2005. That years camp is fondly remembered as the “bus camp”, because pretty much all of the campers were bussed to the rink with the help of a friend.

After that I went to the camp pretty much every year, and every year, there were the good ole familiar faces, as well as some brand new people. So many inside jokes were made during those camper days; everything was a blast. 2009 was my first year year as a counselor. Two years later, I graduated to official goalie coach. I have seen so many goalies come and go throughout the camp; most of them had never been in goalie equipment before the camp, and at the weeks end, they couldn’t imagine any other position to play in.

That’s probably the best feeling I have as a coach during the DB camp, knowing that I helped some kids fall in love with being goalies. I’m so thankful for the opportunity that I had at the camp to become a coach; that camp is where I began learning about what it means to be a coach.